The Commercial Exhibit

Abstract

ing marketing agency in which there is a periodic display of goods by competing sellers under one roof, or within close proximity, in order to promote the sale of goods to a concentration of buyers. There are two classes of commercial exhibits in the United States: the trade fair whose sole or primary purpose is to facilitate the completion of trade negotiations and the exposition whose sole or primary purpose is to facilitate the advertising of commodities. Expositions may be further sub-divided into those directed to the general public and those of a purely industrial nature. The commercial exhibit assists in the performance of three marketing functions: buying, selling, and the provision of market information. The report that follows seeks first to describe the commercial exhibit by showing some of its institutional aspects, the extent of the activity and its organization. Second, the nature and effectiveness of private and public controls are discussed. Finally, several economic implications are isolated and appraised.'